The Perfect Wish
by HawkRider
Summary: Three-shot. The story of a young boy, very different from his brothers, on the lead up to Christmas. Vanitas and Ienzo both OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's a new fanfic. I'm just going to let you read so no more introductions.**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts.**

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><p><span>22nd December. 3 days left.<span>

I looked out of my window. The snow was falling heavily past the window of the room I shared with my three brothers. There were only three beds but I didn't need one. I never slept. I never felt like I needed to either. I looked down at the book in my hands. It was a copy of Twilight. I was only eight but not sleeping meant I had a lot more time to learn things about the world. I finished the last page and put it back on my bookshelf. That senior was right. It wasn't literature at all. It was just plain dull. I sighed, then sat at my desk and began to write. I write little adventure stories from time to time. Not often but enough to have written about five in two years. That was when we moved here. We were told we could have three new pieces of furniture for our quarter of the room. We all got a desk and the other three got new beds. I got a sofa instead. We got a chair each added on for our desks and we each got a bookcase, me getting two because Sora realized he didn't need one after it was bought and got a T.V. instead. I took the bookcase I even then I had more books than I could fit.

I sighed again, looking out of the window. Christmas was nearly here and I knew the rest of my family would soon be panicking about Christmas shopping. Me? I bought my gifts over a month ago to avoid the plentiful mobs and huge prices. I sighed and, giving up on writing, sat on the sofa with my laptop. It had taken ages to save up for it but I eventually got it. I checked my in-box for emails but there were none. I looked back out of my window and sighed again. I was often depressed but today I was even more so. I didn't know why. I decided to get some rest.

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><p>I emerged from the trance-like state that replaces sleep for me about a hour later. There were still three hours before Sora woke half the neighbourhood and another hour after that til breakfast. I slipped down to the kitchen to get a snack and ate it before I returned to my sofa. I started to reread Brave New World, not a brilliant book but it suited how I felt. I followed it up with an Agatha Christie. By the time I'd finished that there were still five minutes left. I sighed again, grabbed clothes from my wardrobe and headed to the bathroom to shower. I washed and, as I dried myself, I heard Sora wake and yell his usual greeting. "Good morning world!" he yelled through the window, waking everyone in the neighbourhood. I wasn't even joking.<p>

I never do.

I heard my brothers yell complaints before getting dressed and returning to our room. I found Roxas and Ventus armed with pillows chasing Sora . I sighed and waited for them to come close, then quickly slipped my foot in Ventus' way. He tripped and brought Roxas down with him. The latter glanced up and was about to glare daggers but realized it was me and stopped. They never argued with me. I just got them frustrated with technical terms so they gave up. "Stop" was all I said before returning to my sofa to do some Sudoku on my computer, followed by a game of solitaire then chess. I looked up to see them all staring at me. I noticed a lead running from my laptop to Sora's TV and realized thy had been watching. I pulled out the lead and continued playing. At five to eight I locked the screen then headed down for breakfast. Our parents were there in their usual colours, bright pink for mum and black for dad. I was the only one who didn't look like either, with my black hair and yellow eyes. They were a sure way of stopping anyone from trying to beat me up. They made me look like I could easily take on anyone in my school year, which was filled with people two years my senior.

"So, do you have any plans for today Van?"

"No. I've done my shopping already. Can I stay at home?"

"Of course son. You know the rules."

"Don't answer the door and if someone calls, pretend that you're too busy to take the call."

"Correct, not that I expected anything less from you. Now go on, dig in!"

It was at that exact moment that my brothers crashed through the door. Emphasis on crash. They leaped to the table and started to demolish the pancakes on their plates. "Grm pamcmkep pum!" Sora said through a mouthful of food. I took a much smaller bite.

"I agree with Sora. They are brilliant."

"Thank you kids. But Sora..." Sora swallowed, then gulped. Mum's voice became stern. "You..."

"You shouldn't talk with you mouth full. Any of you." finished Dad. Sora sent him a thankful look. "Now come on. Eat up. We're going Christmas shopping at nine."

"YAY!" Ventus and Roxas cheered at the same time. They were freakishly similar but they never wore the same clothes as each other. They all ate with renewed vigor and I laughed. That made them all stop and stare. That takes a lot.

"What?" I added a touch of venom, just enough for them to notice, but not Mum and Dad.

"Um, nothing. Pass the Nutella Roxas?" Sora replied.

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><p>They left as planned, and I went to my hiding place for presents. It was just a loose floorboard hidden by the carpet. It was a great spot. Even Sora, who combed the house every time it was our birthday or Christmas, had yet to find it. All the gifts were there, along with other things I didn't want anyone to find. I replaced the board and folded the carpet back, then went to research what I'd be learning next term. I often did this during my common times alone. Today, I researched space and some basic chemical processes to make sure I remembered everything correctly. I then settled down to read a Caroline Lawrence. I got through five before I got an e-mail. I sighed, marked the page and open IM. It was Axel, a boy four years older than me and in the same year as me, him having been held back twice and me being moved forwards twice.<p>

_Hi Axel._

_Hi Van. :)_

_How are you?_

_K :). U?_

_What? _I never did understand text speech.

_Sigh. Sometimes you're a forking idiot._ I smiled at that. Predictive text did not suit Axel. _ It means I'm good. How bout you?_

_I'm good. And you know I hate that._

_I know._

_Well, what did you want?_

_I wanted to know what you got me for Christmas._

_Who says I have anything for you?_

_I know you too well._

_Thank you for writing normally._

_W00TZ! :) XD! H8. U 2. _I didn't reply. _Van? VAN? WHERE ARE YOU?_

_I've not gone. I wonder how people cannot figure out how you got held back that first time..._

_HEY! It was a tricky year!_

_It was Kindergarten._

_No need to rub it in! So, are you studying?_

_I was. Have you done your homework?_

_Of course I have..._

_..._

_No...I've not done the book report yet. I haven't even chosen a book._

_Well I read Rainbow Six..._

_WTF! That's like...1000 pages long!_

_I'll ignore that. I'll give you a book when you visit._

_What's it called?_

_Chances._

_Why not? I have it on my bookcase already._

_...You have books?_

_OY! Anyway, I'll try to read it then write the report. Bye!_

_Goodbye._ I logged off. I stretched, then returned to my book.

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><p>Several hours later, I was interrupted in the last book by Sora bursting through the door and launching himself onto my sofa. I turned back to my book. "Go." I stood to get out of the room so my brothers could hide their presents and try to find mine. I talked to my parents, who once again told me I shouldn't be friends with Axel, him being four years older than me. I then explained why it wasn't bad with the help of a website I'd found that day. They finally gave in. When I went back upstairs, they called after me to get my brothers in bed. I obliged, playing soothing music on my laptop to help them sleep. Then I grabbed a book and read.<p>

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><p><strong>If you are wondering, as you probably are, as to how an eight year old has such a large vocabulary, has been moved forwards two years and is so mature, he's an insomniac with a laptop and not much liking for any games but puzzle games. He researches things. If there's a word he doesn't know the meaning of, he'll find it in the dictionary then pretty much read the whole page. The maturity is just his personality. That's my excuse. I know it's not realistic but it's fan <span>FICTION<span>.**

**Anyway, this is just a little Christmas fanfic I wrote in the summer. Yeah. Anyway, bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part two. This is only going to be three chapters long. Anyway, there's no more filler like the first chapter. On with the story!**

**Nope, still don't own KH. I don't own Brookside or any books mentioned either.**

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><p><span>23rd December. 2 days left.<span>

"Vani, why are you so boring?"

"Is Vani asleep?"

"Yes Ven. See?"

"I'm not asleep. I just have my eyes closed. And Roxas..." I grabbed his hand, which he was waving in front of my face. "Don't touch me. Now, what did you want?"

"Mummy wanted us to tell you that we're going to see Santa today! We get to ride on trains too! When we get back we can have some friends over!" Sora got excited too easily.

"Ok. Now why don't you play hide and seek?"

"Vani is going to play with us! YAY!"

"I never said I would play Roxas. Now, go play."

"'K" he said sadly.

They ran off, laughing. I grabbed my laptop and invited my two good friends, Axel and Zexion. Axel I invited mostly to distract the others while I sat with Zexion. I smiled at my plan. Axel was four years older than us but he still got on really well with the others. Then I invited the people I knew my brothers would invite. A total number of twelve, fourteen including Axel and Zexion. I headed downstairs to find Mum finishing off my brother's overdone cold weather outfits. "Mum, it's only three degrees out there. Do you really think they need that much clothing."

"You should be wearing this much too."

"This jacket and hat are insulated, the trousers are warm and I'm wearing ski socks. Add my scarf and I'll be fine."

"If you insist. Now, have you invited your friends?" Sora, Ven and Roxas shook their heads.

"I invited your friends for you. Oh, fourteen more people will be here Mum."

"Who did you invite Van?" Roxas asked.

"Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Xion, Hayner, Pence, Olette, Naminé, Terra, Aqua, Ienzo, Axel and Zexion. Anyone I missed?"

"No!" They replied in union.

"Ok. So are we going to Brookside or not?"

"Let's go!" Sora yelled as he ran out into the snow. I grabbed my scarf and followed.

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><p>We arrived at Brookside an hour later, me getting a shock when I saw Zexion's parent's car pull up next to ours. I climbed our before the other three could begin to scramble from the back row. Zexion then climbed out of his car, followed by his little brother Ienzo. "Hi Zexion."<p>

"Hello Vanitas. What are you doing here?"

"The answer will come bursting out of our car in three, two, one..." As if on cue, my brothers jumped out of the car.

"I'm here because of Ienzo. Meeting you was a nice surprise. We may be able to ride home with you guys. Your car has enough seats."

"Ienzo!" Sora cried. Said boy ran over to my brothers and starting to chat away and laugh.

"Well, that's better. Now, what did you think of Twilight?"

"Terrible. Brave New World actually cheered me up afterwards."

"I thought it was ok, but not good enough to be made into a film."

"Vani! Zexion! Are you coming? We have to go see Santa." Roxas shouted.

"Yeah big bro!" Ienzo called.

"Let's go."

While we waited on the mini platform by the mini tracks for the mini train, me and Zexion quizzed each other about books we'd lent one another. We'd just moved on to "I Am Number Four" when the train arrived. Me and Zexion went to the very back while the rest went to the front. We listened to their conversation with the conductor.

"Tickets please." There was a pause. "Sorry sir, but one of these child tickets should be an adult.

"What?" Another pause. "Oh, they belong to two boys, one with black hair and yellow eyes, the other with slate blue hair that covers one eye."

The conductor stepped back and looked down the train. "They are at the end sir."

"Thanks. And sorry."

The woman sitting in front of us turned. "Are you lost?"

"No, our parents are at the front. Now, Zex, what's your opinion on Donna Leon?"

"The author? Why, she is quite good."

"Donna Leon? What has she written? I'll read it to my children sometime."

"Unless your children like crime novels, I wouldn't recommend it." She looked at us in shock.

"Your parents let you read that violent stuff?" She gasped.

"Well, we have been moved forwards. Me twice and him once. I'm due another move up as well."

"Really?" Zexion asked.

"Yep. By two years. I've covered most of the syllabus already for this and next year. We'll be in the same class."

"Poor Axel. Left in a class of ten year old's."

"I'll still tutor him."

"How are you two so smart?" the woman asked, eyes wide.

"We're both insomniacs. Neither of us are really into video games so we do research instead. We're about to set off."

"Yay." I said sarcastically. "We're going to see Santa. You can hear our brothers at the front Zex." A lot of cheering from four enthusiastic mouths was heard.

"So you can. Arts and Crafts shop afterwards?"

"Sure. We'll probably all go in together again."

"I'll nag my Mum to take us to the shop when we arrive. That's the only easy way to escape."

"Have you realized that a lot of people probably think we're emo? We really look like we are and normally behave like it too."

"We do, don't we?" We laughed. The woman shook her head then turned to the front.

"I honestly wish you were my brother. Your are so much more like me than those other three."

"Same with Ienzo. He'd fit in more with your brothers than me."

"He sure would."

"You do realize that you're going to go into high school four years earlier than you should, and will probably moved ahead several years, right?"

"I'm going to turn down offers to move ahead. I'm always moved too quickly, and you're my best friend after all. Unless they move you ahead at the same time, I won't."

"Thanks Vani."

"Your welcome." I smiled. The train pulled to a stop and we climbed off, prepared for an earful from our parents. Which we didn't get. Zexion went off to ask his mum to accompany us while I told Dad my plans. I assured him that I would only go if Zexion's mum agreed. Just then, he came and told me she said yes. We walked through the badly painted tunnel to the end of the surprisingly short line. Within five minutes all ten of us were sent through together. Sora, Roxas, Ven and Ienzo all took a turn on 'Santa's' lap and they tried to cajole me into doing it as well but I resisted. I didn't like doing it at all.

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><p>We left the 'grotto' and while seven of the group stayed in the main shop, me, Zexion and his mum when the short distance to the Arts and Crafts shop with plans to meet up a half hour later. We both got ten pounds, which we added to what we'd brought, to spend from our parents. We spent about twenty minutes browsing, me getting an engraving manual, some blocks of a soft wood and some paper, Zexion some water colour paints and his mum a small sack of clay, some thread and a thin bladed knife for carving into the clay. We met with the rest of the group at the carpark where Zexion's parents went off while we took Zexion and Ienzo to our home as they were going to come anyway. Sora and Ienzo both had a jigsaw and Ven and Roxas some quite nice ornaments, all four of them also laden down with sweets. It was fairly funny to watch.<p>

"Right, Zex. When we arrive, we have to dash straight up to our room. My parents got me some curtains to block off my section of our room. It blocks out quite a bit of sound too. My brothers are too scared to go in when they're drawn so we can have some quiet from the party."

"Great idea. I'll give you a hand with your stuff too."

"We'll also have a distraction for them. Axel's coming."

"That should keep them away from us."

"Plus they have a ton of their friends over so..."

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><p>We pulled up in our drive and at the first possible second, me and Zexion sped out and up to our room. We pulled the curtains together forming a smaller, box-shaped room. "So, any books you want to talk about?"<p>

We got in about five minutes of discussion before Sora, Roxas, Ven and everyone who was invited came barging into the room. Thankfully the curtains blocked a lot of the sound so we managed to continue our conversation without too much trouble. The only breaks in our conversation from then were what Axel fell through the curtain and when I sneaked out of the room to get me and Zexion something to eat. At seven, parents started to arrive and within half an hour everyone had left. I logged on to my computer to find replies to the invites I'd sent out and nothing else. I played Samurai Sudoku then logged out and started to reread all my Marcus Sedgewick's when the others were sent to bed..

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><p><strong>Ok, so it was a filler. But this story is meant to be like this. The next chapter is where you find the relevance of the title. <strong>

**And Brookside is a real place. It's a Garden Center and is quite nice, if a little childish. I'm sure that the owner is addicted to Thomas the Tank Engine.**

**Anyway, see you next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Last part. I hope that all of you enjoy this. And I still don't own Kingdom Hearts or any books.**

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><p><span>24th December. 1 day to go.<span>

"So Vani. What about you?"

"What Sora?"

"What would you wish for?"

"You might want to fill me in on the details."

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Right. We were talking about wishes and I asked what everyone would wish for if they got one wish. I'd wish for lots of money!" His eyes sparkled at the thought.

"I'd wish to be famous." Ven said.

"I'd wish for glory."

"Roxas, do you know what glory means?"

"Of course!"

"What?"

"It means, um, I can't remember."

I closed my eyes. "Glory is very great praise, honour, or distinction bestowed by common consent."

"What does that mean?"

"It just gets more complicated."

"Right. Anyway, let's play hide and seek! Axel's visiting so he can play with us!" Just like Sora to change the subject like that.

"YAY!" Roxas and Ven yelled in union.

"Why don't you run down. I'm getting some breakfast."

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><p>Five minutes later, I was back on my sofa with some toast and a laughing Sora in a wardrobe. Axel came into the room, not making a noise, surprisingly. I pointed at Sora's hiding place. "I'm not playing, Axel." I finished my toast and headed downstairs to grab my coat. "I'm going for a walk Mum. Don't worry, I'm not going to be walking far." Before she could reply I left the house and started to walk to the bookshop at the corner of the road.<p>

I arrived to find Zexion browsing the horror section. "Hi Zex. What are you looking for?"

"It's called 'Trapped, A Novel of Terror' but I can't find it anywhere." I smiled to myself, remembering that I'd bought the last copy a couple of days ago for him. "It's not here either." he sighed.

"Let's see if that book's out yet."

"Which book?"

"'Inheritance'. I can't wait to read it."

"If it's not, I'm getting 'The Dark Flight Down'. I want that book so much."

"Here it is. I'll check for the other book." I found several copies of the other books in the series, but there was no sign of the new one. I grabbed another book, 'Shades of Grey', and told Zex.

"Oh, well at least I have a back up." We took our books to the counter, paid, then wandered off home.

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><p>When I got home, I found Axel being forced into a car by his parents and Sora crying because of it. "Axel had go home in a hurry then, Mum?"<p>

"Yes."

"W-why d-d-did he-he-e ha-ha-ave to-to-o g-g-go?" Sora was snivelling.

"Because his parents needed him at his home." Mum replied.

"Where are Roxas and Ven?" I asked.

"S-still hiding."

"Why don't you go and find them?"

"Good idea Vani." He sped off upstairs.

"So what did you get?" Mum asked, looking at the bag.

"Just a book. It's called 'Shades of Grey'."

"How did you know that you wouldn't get it for Christmas?"

"It only just came out."

"Ah."

"Found you Rox!" we heard Sora yell.

"Sora's loud isn't he? I just remembered, I never answered that question..."

"What question?"

"What I would wish for..."

"Well, I'd wish for a larger house."

"Right...I don't know."

"Well, think about it. Will you tell me when you've figured it out?"

"Sure."

"Well, I'm going to start on this. See you at lunch."

"Bye Vani."

"Bye Mum." I walked up to my room. I found Sora, Ven and Roxas trying to do their homework. I sat down and started to read. At half twelve, we were called down to lunch. After that, we continued what we were doing. When I finished that book, I logged on to IM to talk to Zexion.

_Have you finished your book yet?_

_Yes. Sixteen minutes ago._

_You beat me. You know, I think it's the apocalypse._

_Why?_

_The other three are doing their homework. Quietly._

_Must be then. What are you going to read next?_

_No idea._

_Me neither. Sorry, I've got to go. Bye Van._

_Bye Zex._

I logged off, and sat thinking about the wish.

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><p>"Guys! Dinner's ready!" We had an enjoyable meal before we returned, once again doing the same. At ten, our mother came up the stairs. "Bed time. And Vani, you know the rule."<p>

"Yes Mum. Christmas Eve night, draw the curtain. I know."

"Ok. Well, good night kids!" She turned off the lights and we went to our own sections. I drew the curtain, then sat, looking out of the window. I grabbed a random book and sat down. I started to read, then realized that the answer to the question was simple. There was only one thing that I truly wanted.

"I want... I'd wish that no matter what happened to me, the people I love would never be subject to any danger." I leaned back, closing my eyes as I heard the sound sleigh bells played in my ears.


End file.
